4/24/14 2:12 PM

Remember when the only styling product a man needed to know about was gel? Well times have changed with salon and supermarket shelves now offering a veritable smorgasbord of men’s hair products.

Before you reach for the same bottle of goo you used in high school, think about this. A recent study showed that 73% of women look at a man’s hair before anything else, and many treat it as a determining factor in whether they'll date him.

But waxes and pomades and pastes, oh my! Which to choose? The short answer is – it depends. Today we’ll dive into some of the popular products out there, and which hair types and styles they work with.

We encourage you to be bold and experiment. Don’t sweat it if your first attempt isn’t a masterpiece worthy of Vidal Sassoon – much like Wooly Willy, your coif if a resettable canvas.

Gel

Gel has been the go-to staple for men in the past few decades. It does offer functionality and versatility with lighter to super strong holds that give a slick/wet look. Just avoid it if you’re planning on running your fingers through your hair as it can break the hold and cause flaking.

Pomade

A blend of wax and oil, pomades can range from light to high shine and offer a more natural wet look. It can be preferable to gel as it lets you achieve the same look without any of the permanent set and potential for flaking. It’s creamier than wax and matte products which can make it a better choice for curly or thick hair.

Wax

Waxes don’t contain the oils found in pomade, so they’ll provide a strong hold without the wet look. This also makes them great for oily hair as the dry hold prevents your hair from looking greasy. Wax works best in straight or slightly wavy hair, and can be used for any number of looks from spiky to neat. It can also be easily restyled if you’re looking to do a quick change from the office to the bar.

Matte Products (Clay, Putty, Paste, Mud, Fiber, etc.)

They come in a variety of flavors, but all matte products will add texture and a flexible hold to your hair without the wet look of their creamier counterparts. This makes them perfect for that effortless tousled bed-head look.

Cream

Mousse

Not a popular choice among men (or women since the 80s for that matter), but it can be useful if you’re beginning to thin out up top. Mousse adds volume by surrounding the hair strand with chemical compounds called polymers, resulting in a fuller appearance. You can blow dry after application for extra hold.

What products are you using to tame your mane? Let us know in the comments!

4/17/14 12:54 PM

Shirt collars aren’t something that come up often in men’s fashion advice, but when you’re looking to create an outfit that will make you stand out from the crown the devil is in the details.

Shirt collar options have branched out a lot in recent years with spread collars spinning off into medium and extreme spreads and the return of styles that had long fallen out of favor like the snap-tab collar. For simplicity’s sake, we’re going to limit the discussion to the broad terms of narrow and wide spread collars and let you pick your favorites from there.

The general rule in choosing a shirt collar is to counterbalance your face shape with the aim of creating proportion. You’ll also want to pair it with a tie knot that matches the width of the collar spread to complete the effect.

The Round Face

Someone with a round face generally has fuller checks and a shorter neck. If you fall into this category you’ll want to opt for a narrow collar spread to give the perception of a longer more defined face. The same concept applies to the tie – you should pair the shirt with a skinny tie with a narrow knot like the four-in-hand.

Here’s an example of Jack Black playing by these rules.

The Angular Face

This shape usually comes in two flavors, high cheekbones ending in a pointed chin or a longer face with a pronounced U-shaped chin. Either way, people with this face type will want to wear wider spread collars to soften and widen the appearance of their facial features. A full tie knot like the Windsor pairs well with these collars.

This picture of Ashton Kutcher should give you the right idea.

The Oval Face

Folks that fall into this category are in luck. Their faces are longer than they are wide with the cheek bones set at the widest point. This symmetry affords a lot of flexibility in choosing a shirt collar allowing you to wear both wide and narrow spread collars equally well.

Will Smith is a good example of this. Here you can see him in his ultra-narrow Men In Black collar and tie alongside him pulling off a wide spread collar with a Windsor knot.

The lead image gives you an idea of the collar types that fall into wide, narrow and in between, but it's by no means comprehensive. Let us know your favorite in the comments!

3/20/14 5:03 PM

We here at Walk On Socks may not be able to make you a baller, find you a girl who looks good or get you an Impala*, but we can help you dress to look a little bit taller.

If you’re looking to add a few extra inches to your appearance, there’s easier ways than trying to bring back the platform shoe look. Check out these five tips you can start using today:

Befriend a Tailor – Proper fit is a big factor in adding inches. Make sure your jackets end where the buttock meets the leg, and opt for a small break in your pants. No-one looks tall when it seems like they’re playing dress up in their daddy’s suit.

3/6/14 7:33 PM

Yesterday, we showed you some great pocket squares. Today, we are demystifying the number one hurdle most men have with pocket squares – namely, basting. Before you ask, no…not like a turkey. Basting, in the world of sewing, refers to long stitches that are meant to be removed.

A lot of men wonder why, if you’re supposed to use your jacket pockets, do they come sewn shut. The answer is relatively simple. Tailors baste the pockets to keep the material flat while the rest of the jacket is being stitched together. Once the jacket has been assembled, a final basting stitch is added to the vents to temporarily keep the pleats flat.

Once you buy your suit jacket, the time has come to remove these stitches. If you have them on hand, a small pair of nail scissors will get the job done. However, if you want to implement the proper tool for the job, you can pick up a seam ripper that will minimize your risk of catching any of the jacket fabric.